Upcoming Shows

Jackie Greene, Cary Morin

TodayApril 9, 20258:00pm $30 advance / $35 door

An Evening with Jason Wade of Lifehouse

TomorrowApril 10, 20258:00pm $30.00

Jason Wade is the lead singer and songwriter of the band Lifehouse. He has been making albums and touring with the band for almost 20 years. Currently, the band is on hiatus while Jason works on his third solo record, called 'A Likely Story'. Additionally, he is also a member of the band ØZWALD, along with his Lifehouse....

The Newest Olympian

FridayApril 11, 20258:00pm $25 advance / $30 door

The Newest Olympian Live brings all the joy of the #1 Percy Jackson podcast to a stage near you! This comedic podcast covers the journey of Mike Schubert, a grown man, making his way through the Percy Jackson series for the very first time. Each episode and each live show, Schubert chats with longtime PJO fans to cover the....

Recently Added Shows

Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys

WednesdayMay 14, 20258:00pm $12 advance / $15 door

Serious songwriting from YEARS of hardship, road experience and inner turmoil. The way it was supposed to be, but with a new approach. Over 10 years of relentless touring has cemented SASQUATCH as one of the most high gear, powerhouse band leaders around... his bands, The Sick-a-Billys, Holy Hellraisers, Full Moon Boys....

Real Pretenders

SaturdayMay 31, 20258:00pm $15 advance / $20 door

Real Pretenders are four Chicago music scene veterans with a passion for the hard driving rhythms, catchy melodic hooks, soul-tortured lyrics, and back alley sex appeal that characterize the music of the Pretenders. They aren't a costume act and they don't play the original members of the band as characters. Instead, these....

Petite League

SundayJune 8, 20258:00pm $15 advance / $20 door

Living together in famed Syracuse house venue Scarier Dome hosting shows for touring bands, producing live video sessions, starting a screen printing business while also learning the ins-and-outs of self-recording and releasing records was the foundational stepping stone upon which Petite League was created. Lorenzo....

Red Leather

MondayJune 23, 20258:00pm $20 advance / $25 door

Red Leather is an anonymous alternative-rock artist from Reno, Nevada. Rising to fame in 2023, he has amassed millions of streams and a dedicated fanbase on all platforms and at his live shows. Red Leather's music tells a raw and honest story of his battles with addiction, his journey to sobriety, and his pursuit of the....

Shawn Mullins

TuesdayJune 24, 20258:00pm $35.00

After a series of indie releases and growing buzz in the Atlanta music scene, Shawn Mullins' critical and commercial breakthrough came when 1998 Soul's Core shot him to fame on the strength of Grammy-nominated No. 1 hit, "Lullaby" followed by AAA/Americana No. 1 hit "Beautiful Wreck" from 2006's 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor.....

Dale Watson

TuesdayJuly 15, 20258:00pm

Dale Watson is an award-winning hardest working real country musician and producer who has been creating music and performing live for over 40 years. He has shared the stage with such icons as Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson, just to name a few. He has been seen on David Letterman, Jimmy....

Abe Partridge, Jack Barksdale

WednesdayJuly 16, 20258:00pm $20.00

Big Sandy and His Fly Rite Boys

SundayJuly 20, 20258:00pm $20.00

Since forming in 1988 in Southern California, Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys have become one of the world's most beloved Americana/Roots acts, drawing from the deep musical waters that flow just beneath the surface of Rock & Roll's fertile soil. A childhood passion for Country, Doo-Wop, and Rhythm & Blues 45s led Sandy....

The Suitcase Junket

ThursdayJuly 24, 20258:00pm $15.00

Half Moon HideAway, Torcado, Faded Places

SaturdayAugust 23, 20258:00pm 15

Half Moon HideAway is a rock band formed in the heart of Riverwest by Milwaukee singer-songwriter Matt Froelich. Since 2022, the band has been turning heads with their energetic performances and signature sound blending elements of jangle pop, emotional rock, and funk. With keyboardist Noah Bayer, drummer Ben Dahms, and....

Jed Harrelson

SaturdaySeptember 6, 20258:00pm $20 advance / $25 door

Nashville based soul artist Jed Harrelson has found a way to fuse sounds of Soul, Rock and R&B. Music connects and he carries that into the center of his work, leaving both a euphoric and familiar presence. While he's independently released 12 songs in the last three years, he is working on a debut project right now. All....

Zepparella The Led Zeppelin Powerhouse

SaturdaySeptember 27, 20258:00pm

Kim Richey

ThursdayNovember 13, 20258:00pm $25.00

From her critically acclaimed self-titled 1995 debut to Long Way Back... The Songs of Glimmer in 2020, Richey has consistently impressed listeners, garnered accolades, and attracted famous fans with her deft songwriting and crystalline vocals, both of which have made her an in-demand collaborator. Richey has penned No.1....

Alternative Concert Group Presents

Jesse Cook

WednesdayApril 30, 20257:30pm $35 | $50

At the Barrymore Theatre, Madison, WI.

Tickets on sale at barrymorelive.com or by phone at 608-241-8633 (Mon-Fri noon-5pm).

Jesse Cook

ThursdayMay 1, 20257:30pm $49 | $76

At South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, WI.

Tickets on sale online, at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center box office or by phone at 414-766-5049.

Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues

FridayMay 2, 20258:00pm

At the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, Brookfield, WI.

Tickets on sale at here.

Quick Calendar

Americana and roots singer-songwriter Jackie Greene is a jack-of-all-trades, and an artist who can croon over soulful piano ballads as much as he can shred a bluesy guitar solo (like he did as the lead guitarist for The Black Crowes in 2013). A road warrior and musician's musician, Greene's new EP 'The Modern Lives - Vol 2' (out October 2018 on Blue Rose Music) finds him at a new chapter in his life: his first months of fatherhood, time off his relentless touring circuit, and a cross-country move from Brooklyn to his birthplace of Northern California.

This new collection of six original songs is a thematic extension of 'The Modern Lives - Vol 1' EP (released in 2017 on Blue Rose Music), imbued with a Brooklyn basement DIY feel and ethos. He is a student of American music, transfixed upon its progression through time, as well as how regional sounds fit in a contemporary context. Whereas 'Vol 1' saw Greene experiment with the Delta blues as a canvas for his examinations of modern society, 'Vol 2' sees Greene embrace the sounds of the bluegrass and folk tapes of his youth.

Lead single "Crazy Comes Easy" showcases Greene's dynamic, multi-instrumental range as he plays slide guitar, organ, bass, and percussion, the guitar licks an appreciative nod to his time in The Black Crowes. Meanwhile, "Good Old Bad Times" highlights Greene as the songwriter as he rattles off lines like "How can somebody find a future? / If they ain't got a foothold in the past?" while taking a critical eye to the idea of nostalgia. Piano ballad "Victim Of The Crime" was one of Jackie's oldest demos up until the feel of these sessions gave him the tools to finish a song that, in his words, was written for his wife before she was his wife. While the title possesses a kind of melodrama, the song itself is tender and heartfelt as he details love's trials and tribulations.

Greene partnered with Academy Award-nominated "king of indie animation" Bill Plympton for a series of music videos for 'The Modern Lives - Vol 1' that would eventually become an animated short film titled 'The Modern Lives'. The film is currently making the rounds at film festivals where it has already won the Jury Award at the USA Film Festival in Dallas, TX, and the Grand Remi Award / Best in Show at WorldFest in Houstin, TX. The short is also being exhibited at the 71st Festival de Cannes/Court Metrage, Melbourne International Animation Festival, and ASIFA-East Festival, amongst others.

Since the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album 'Gone Wanderin'', Greene has built an enduring audience through a relentless touring schedule with the likes of BB King, Mark Knopfler, Susan Tedeschi, and Taj Mahal. He played lead guitar with The Black Crowes on their Layin' Down With #13 World Tour, recorded and toured with Trigger Hippy - his supergroup with Joan Osborne - and in the last four years performed over 300 shows of his own, all while continuing to record and release his solo work. Greene is a frequent member of Phil Lesh & Friends, and sits in with countless other artists including Tedeschi Trucks Band, Govt Mule, Mississippi All-Stars, Amy Helm, Steve Earle, and Bob Weir.

In Chicago, a city overflowing with unrivaled blues talent, world-renowned Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials have been standing tall for almost 30 years. The band's big sound, fueled by Lil' Ed's gloriously rollicking slide work and deep blues string bending, along with his rough-edged, soulful vocals, is as real and hard-hitting as Chicago blues gets. The Chicago Sun-Times says, "Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials are the hottest purveyors of bottleneck boogie to come out of Chicago since Hound Dog Taylor."

Lil' Ed Williams comes to the blues naturally. His uncle, Chicago slide guitar king and master songwriter J.B. Hutto, taught him how to feel, not just play the blues. Nine albums and thousands of performances later, Lil' Ed is now universally hailed as a giant of the genre. Lil' Ed and The Blues Imperials--bassist (and Ed's half-brother) James "Pookie" Young, guitarist Mike Garrett and drummer Kelly Littleton--have remained together for nearly 30 years (an extraordinary feat for any group), the band fueling Ed's songs with their rock-solid, road-tested, telepathic musicianship.

The Big Sound Of Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials is the musically electrifying, emotionally intense and downright fun new album from the band Guitar Player calls "a snarling boogie-blues machine...they blow down the walls." The CD features Lil' Ed's incendiary playing and playful, passionate singing, with the ragged-but-right Blues Imperials cooking like mad alongside him. Produced by Williams and Alligator president Bruce Iglauer, it is a tour-de-force of authentic, deeply rooted Chicago blues. Williams wrote or co-wrote all but two of album's 14 songs, the other gems written by Uncle J.B. The Chicago Reader says the band's music "is a soundtrack for dancing and celebration infused with a sense of hard-won survival. Williams attacks his lyrics like he attacks his guitar: with bare-bones intensity that makes each word sound like a matter of life or death."

Born in Chicago on April 8, 1955, in the heart of Chicago's tough West Side, Ed grew up surrounded by music. He was playing guitar, then drums and bass, by the time he was 12. Ed and Pookie received lessons and support from their famous uncle. "J.B. taught me everything I know," says Ed. "I wouldn't be where I am today without him." Ed and Pookie spent their teen years making music together, and in 1975 formed the first incarnation of The Blues Imperials. They played their first gig at a West Side club called Big Duke's Blue Flame, splitting the $6 take four ways. Over the next few years, the group played every club in the neighborhood. Even so, they still needed day jobs to pay the bills. Ed worked ten hours a day as a buffer at the Red Carpet Car Wash. Pookie drove a school bus. Night after night they played their roaring brand of blues in tiny clubs, and eventually the word reached Alligator president Bruce Iglauer.

At the time, Iglauer was looking for local talent for The New Bluebloods, an anthology of some of Chicago's younger blues musicians. "Ed and his band had a good reputation," recalls Iglauer. "I had only seen them live once or twice. I knew Ed was a hot slide player, but I had no idea what he and the band were really capable of. I just knew that their music reminded me of Hound Dog Taylor and J.B. Hutto, two of my favorite musicians. It seemed like having a band this rough and ready would be a nice change of pace for the anthology, so I asked them to come down to the studio and cut a couple of songs. I never expected what happened."

The band--never having been in a recording studio before--treated the studio like a club, playing live to Iglauer, the engineer, and all the people on the other side of the control room glass. After Ed recorded his two rehearsed songs quickly, there was still plenty of studio time left, so they just kept playing. After 10 songs were in the can, Iglauer offered the band a full album contract. The end result of the session was 30 songs cut in three hours with no overdubs and only one second take. Twelve of those songs became the band's debut album, Roughhousin', released in September of 1986.

The national press reacted with amazement to the blues world's new discovery. Feature stories ran in Spin, Musician, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune and dozens of other publications. The Village Voice declared, "Roughhousin' just may be the blues album of the year." The New York Times raved, "Raw-boned, old-fashioned Chicago blues has a new young master--Lil' Ed Williams."

But it wasn't until 1987, when guitarist Mike Garrett joined the band, and a year later, when Garrett recruited his Detroit hometown friend Kelly Littleton to play drums, that things really began to take off. Garrett's risk-taking rhythm guitar work and Littleton's unpredictable, old school drumming were the perfect complement to Lil' Ed's and Pookie's rambunctious playing. With their 1989 album Chicken, Gravy & Biscuits, doors opened and audiences poured in. Through relentless touring, the group crystallized, becoming tighter with each performance, more adept in their abilities to read each other's musical moves. Their spontaneous and unpredictable live show became legendary among blues fans worldwide.

They have played the Chicago Blues Festival multiple times, and have appeared at The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Portland's Waterfront Blues Festival, The Tampa Bay Blues Festival, The San Diego Blues Festival, The Pennsylvania Blues Festival and dozens of other festivals around the country. Satisfying worldwide demand, they have performed at festivals in Canada, Great Britain, France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Japan, Australia, India, Turkey and Panama.

Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials released eight Alligator albums between 1986 and 2012. With each one, the band's national and international stature grew as their fan base--known internationally as "Ed Heads"--continued to expand. With 2006's Rattleshake, Ed and company reached a whole new audience. Die-hard "Ed Head" Conan O'Brien brought the band before millions of television viewers on two separate occasions. Success and accolades never stop pouring in. Living Blues called 2012's Jump Start "scorching and soulful" with "crafty, clever lyrics...joyous and stomping."

The group took home the Living Blues Award for Best Live Performer in 2011, 2012 and 2013. They won the prestigious Blues Music Award for Band Of The Year in both 2007 and 2009. The Associated Press says, "Williams fills Chicago's biggest shoes with more life and heat than anyone on stage today."

With The Big Sound Of Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, the band continues to bring their blistering Chicago blues to "Ed Heads" new and old. Their infectious energy, joyful showmanship and masterful playing have been honed to a razor's edge by their many years together. Lil' Ed, Pookie, Mike and Kelly have seen sports stars and presidents, musical fads and fashion trends come and go. Meanwhile, their fiery music has more than stood the test of time. "We're not band members," says Williams, "we're family, and families stay together." Night after night, gig after riotous gig, the musical family called Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials bring their big, dynamic Chicago blues sound to fans across the country and around the world

James McMurtry is heading out on the road where he'll be including songs from his recent record, The Horses and the Hounds (released August 20, 2021 on New West Records) as well as some of his old favorites, a few comments on the State of the Union, perhaps a couple of touring tales, but mostly, just a fabulously fun time!

And ~ Spoiler Alert! ~ as there is a new James McMurtry album in the works with legendary producer Don Dixon, James has recently begun throwing a few of the new songs into the live setlist.

James McMurtry's first full-length studio album in seven years,The Horses and the Hounds embodies effortless elegance and endless energy as familiar foundations guide the journey.

"There's a definite Los Angeles vibe to this record. The ghost of Warren Zevon seems to be stomping around among the guitar tracks," James quips. "Don't know how he got there. He never signed on for work for hire."

McMurtry recorded The Horses and the Hounds with Ross Hogarth, legendary producer (Van Halen, John Fogerty) and old friend (Hogarth recorded James' first two albums and mixed his first self-produced effort - see below for specifics), their first meeting being thirty years ago when Hogarth was a recording engineer in the employ of John Mellencamp. Much more about the new songs/album below - check it out.

James McMurtry tours year-round, consistently throwing down unparalleled powerhouse performances famous for his outspoken, sensible views, melodically succinct lyrics and lauded storytelling.

Expect nothing less from this tour as James McMurtry lets loose The Horses and the Hounds.

Raised outside Houston by first-generation Korean immigrant parents, BettySoo grew up listening to the Great American songbook and country radio. Older sisters led her to the world of singer/songwriters, and nights spent at The Cactus Cafe and Hole In The Wall turned her on to the legacy of Texas song.

Her 2007 solo disc, Little Tiny Secrets, garnered heavy regional airplay; 2009's Heat Sin Water Sin produced by Gurf Morlix (Lucinda Williams, Ray Wylie Hubbard), provided building blocks to a national (and international) audience. In 2014, When We're Gone, co-produced with cellist Brian Standefer (Alejandro Escovedo, Terry Allen) placed her firmly in the first rank of songwriters working today.

She's won the requisite awards: Kerrville NewFolk, Big Top Chautauqua Songwriter of the Year, Dave Carter Songwriting Award at Sisters Folk Festival, Mountain Stage NewSong Competition. She's played the festivals: multiple SXSW's, Kerrville, Calgary, and more. And the radio shows: E-Town, Mountain Stage, WoodSongs, BBC 2 with Bob Harris.

BettySoo tours nonstop, these days either as a solo headliner or as dedicated support for James McMurtry and Chris Smither. Along with her agile guitar playing, her intelligent, tightly-constructed lyrics and captivating melodies keep audiences entranced, and if you're lucky, you'll also find her onstage demonstrating her other super-power when she is singing harmonies with various luminaries.

In the Time of COVID-19, BettySoo was found cutting a unique path through the broad streaming landscape with her weekly Nobody's Happy Hour zoom shows, often praised as the most creative online residency in the songwriter world. As with everything she does, she approached it in a way that invites authentic connection, encourages compassion, and merits listening.

For more than 50 years, Nektar won the hearts of a devoted following by taking legions of fans on audio-visual journeys to far reaches of the universe and the depths of the ocean with their immersive and innovative "Sound and Light Theatre" presentations.

Lady Luck has not always been as kind to Nektar as the music seemingly deserves, however in its many incarnations over the years that concept has always persevered despite it all.

2024 finds the band at crossroads that would have been hard to imagine with the sad recent loss of founding member and musical brother Ron Howden, and obstacles like the covid shut down and general malaise of the concert scene in recent memory, but incredibly, a new chapter is unfolding in a very positive way.

When the band reformed in 2019, founding member Derek "Mo" Moore talked about that Nektar situation as "Unfinished Business," and it felt like that in many ways.

Back in 1978 when Nektar was being reformed after Roye Albrighton's departure, Mo and Ryche Chlanda together wrote the new music that many years later would be recorded as "The Other Side" album. Ryche left the band to tour with his other projects before it could be recorded and performed live on tour. Jumping forward to 2020 during "The Other Side" sessions it felt like the band was picking up right where they left off back then, right down to the setlist, which would have fit in perfectly that way.

Nektar played well over 100 live shows over the course of the reunion, starting off with the debut at ProgStock 2019 and encompassing strongholds like the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville in Illinois and The Dunellen Theatre in New Jersey, so close to where Nektar had relocated to in 1975, and where Ron Howden's next to last ever gig was recorded and filmed, just weeks before his untimely passing.

At no time in the reunion was there a desire for Nektar to fall into "nostalgia act" status. Mo and Ryche had recognized all along that new music would be the key to making this chapter worthy of the legacy and both had been storing up ideas in the hopes that the proper situation would present itself, and to that point it hadn't, but it seemed that once the "Mission to Mars" concept was decided on, the project took on a life of its own.

Mo and Ryche attacked the skeletons of songs they had that would be chosen for the album with a vengeance, with both remote and in-person writing sessions.

Determined not to let the music die, they arranged for a GoFundMe to make studio time committing it to both Vinyl and Digital a reality and as usual our "Nektarines" were there for the band to make it possible with their support.

Nektar returned to Shorefire Studios in Long Branch New Jersey for these sessions, the same studio they had used for "The Other Side," but this proved to be a different animal.

Whereas the majority of "The Other Side" material had been written in 1978 and was more being polished than completed, this would be quite a different experience as the songs were new and more of a reflection of where the band is today, with five years under their belt since reforming and a sense of urgency that was palpable.

Mo and Ryche proved to be an amazing team. Together they seemed to craft every note with a purpose, bounce ideas off each other, execute the idea and choose the best route. Every section was composed and refined with the utmost care and foresight.

Kendall Scott had been talking about ideas that he had for Nektar music both new and old for some time and it seemed he would now have the space to spread his wings a bit more given the opportunity, so we had a good idea of what to expect.

Maryann Castello had made her singing debut on the album, "The Other Side." After several tours with the band, continuing to be our head cook and bottle washer helping to move the band forward, Maryann was written a much larger singing role bringing her out of the shadows on the latest album "Mission To Mars."

Of course, how Jay Dittamo would fit in was an unknown. Jay knew Ron and had been given his blessing years prior but losing what was one of few remaining original rhythm sections in the rock world was new territory. Could he and Mo be the driving force needed to propel the music that was coming together nicely to the next level?

As it turned out, the chemistry would instantly be apparent and the week spent in the studio would be some of the most enjoyable and rewarding of the bands entire career, and the album would come to fruition just as envisioned -- a record deeply rooted in rock just as it had been in the beginning, but with the complexity of the concept album one might expect to evolve from the bands past epic forays.

Truly magic, and an album each band member grew proud of very quickly and looked forward to taking on the road to perform live.

There were, however, questions to be answered on the live presentation from the visual perspective as well. Mick Brockett had stepped away from touring due to some health concerns and the lightshow needed to be brought up to a more modern standard.

The visual aspect of a Nektar concert had always been what separated Nektar from its peers, and the intention was to return to the shows being events, a true sound and light theatre experience as it once was.

Jay Petsko had been working with Mick since that first show at ProgStock and like the band had done with the new songs had been squirreling away his visual ideas on possibilities and visual concepts. He would now have the opportunity to try and bring those forward.

The concerts proved to an incredible return to form from both a sound and light perspective -- the entire new album was played live and was so well received that the nightly ovations for the new songs met or exceeded those received for the classic material played, very gratifying for the band that had worked so hard to see it through.

The visuals just amazed everyone who saw them, and I think had the same effect as they did in the classic era and became as much a part of the show as the music.

Jay had taken the show all-digital, and the presentation looked just amazing, as bright and vivid as any other and taken to an even further level through the use of 3-D for the title cut of the album.

2024 finds Nektar in a very exciting place, with the new album about to be released officially, and more new music to still be recorded. The lightshow continues to evolve, a living breathing part of the proceedings that will incorporate more 3-D effects as well as new projections, respecting the past while Remembering the Future...

To our brothers on the Other Side we love and miss you Ron Howden, Roye Albrighton, Taff Freeman and Vinnie Schmid.

Paul Bielatowicz, an accomplished English composer and musician, has recorded and toured with some of the biggest names in progressive rock, including Carl Palmer, Dream Theater, Yes, and more.

He describes himself as "a classical pianist trapped in a rock guitarist's body" and brings his passion for music to life with the diverse range of instruments he plays on stage. The live event will thrill audiences as he is joined by Michael Dutko (Gary Hoey) on bass and Leah Bluestein (Eagles of Death Metal) on drums. The mesmerizing multimedia production is further enhanced by virtual all-star guest appearances on three video screens, including Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Arthur Brown (Crazy World of Arthur Brown), Dave Bainbridge (Strawbs, Iona), Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (Guns N' Roses, Sons of Apollo, Asia), Peter Zay (New Bedford Symphony Orchestra), and Simon Fitzpatrick (ELP Legacy, Jennifer Batten).

Employing a dazzling mix of glam rock, hard rock, and progressive rock, Angel's outrageous, white-satin-heavy image and equally over-the-top stage shows, made them one of the more colorful arena rock bands of the mid-'70s and early '80s. Discovered by Kiss bass player Gene Simmons, the group issued their eponymous debut album in 1975, which hewed closer to prog rock than the glam pop that would inform future endeavors like On Earth as It Is in Heaven (1977) and Sinful (1979). The group went their separate ways in 1981, but re-formed in the late '90s with a new lineup, and released two studio albums (1999's In the Beginning and 2019's Risen) and numerous compilations.

Formed in Washington, D.C., the group's self-titled 1975 debut was recorded for the flamboyant Casablanca Records label -- home to Kiss -- with a line-up comprising Frank DiMino (vocals), Punky Meadows (guitar, ex-BUX), Gregg Giuffria (keyboards), Mickie Jones (bass, ex-BUX), and Barry Brandt (drums). A heady slab of heavy pomp rock with lengthy songs swathed in Giuffria's atmospheric keyboards and featuring the longtime stage favorite "Tower," it was followed in 1976 by Helluva Band, which continued in a similar vein, with the group's famous white satin stage clothing making its debut on the album sleeve. On Earth as It Is in Heaven saw a distinct change in musical direction, as the band adopted a a more pop/rock-oriented sound, and introduced a clever logo that read identically when upside down.

1978's White Hot, with Felix Robinson replacing Jones, was helped by Eddie Leonetti's sympathetic production, and produced minor U.S. hits in "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" and "The Winter Song." Leonetti subsequently produced Sinful and the in-concert set Live Without a Net. Angel's record sales never quite reflected their popularity as a live act, and a legal dispute with PolyGram prompted the band's breakup in 1981. Giuffria attempted to revive the band in 1984, but the abortive reunion led to the formation of the more successful House of Lords. Robinson, meanwhile, appeared in an early White Lion line-up and played with 707. Brandt and DiMino re-formed Angel in the late '90s to record In the Beginning, with the help of guitarist and songwriter Richard Marcello. They staged an Angel reunion of sorts by persuading former colleagues Robinson and Meadows to play on the track "Set Me Free."

The group performed off and on during the early 2000s and issued a handful of compilation albums. Bassist and founding member Mickie Jones passed away in 2009 after battling liver cancer. Punky Meadows released a solo LP, Fallen Angel, in 2016, and in 2018, Meadows and DiMino toured under the name Frank DiMino & Punky Meadows of Angel. The band officially re-formed the following year with Meadows and DiMino joined by Danny Farrow, Steve E. Ojane, Billy Orrico, and Charlie Calv. The newly reactivated Angel released their seventh studio effort, Risen, later that October.

Chris Cain was born in San Jose, California in 1955. His parents were huge music fans and shared their love of blues, jazz and popular songs with Chris. His African American father and Greek mother had a huge, shared record collection, which fascinated Chris from an early age. Chris was three years old when his father first took him to see B.B. King. His father gave him his first guitar at age eight and Chris learned lick after lick, song after song. He'd listen to his father's records over and over until the music had seeped into his soul.

Cain formed his first band in 1986, and, in hopes of getting more gigs, released his first album, Late Night City Blues, on the locally-based Blue Rock'It label. Almost immediately, everything changed. Booking agents came calling and Chris began touring Europe. The album received four W.C. Handy Award nominations (now the Blues Music Awards) and the offers to perform kept rolling in.

With his 2021 Alligator Records debut album, Raisin' Cain, Cain's star began to rise even higher. Press, radio and the public all agreed that Cain was, as Blues Rock Review stated, "a classic, sophisticated, soulful virtuoso...He seamlessly combines blues, jazz, funk, and soul." Cain received four 2022 Blues Music Award nominations, including for Album Of The Year and Best Guitarist.

On his recordings and on stage, Cain plays his beloved Gibson ES 335 guitar named Melba that he's had since 1990, and plugs it into his equally beloved Music Man RD 112 amp that he's had since 1987. Melba, well known among Cain's most ardent fans, is prominently featured in the new book, Gibson ES Believers, part of the Vic DuPra Believers Series.

Cain has toured all over North America and made repeated trips around the world. He's performed at the Chicago Blues Festival, The Doheny Blues Festival, The Philadelphia Blues Festival, The Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, and many others. He's played concerts and festivals (and often taught workshops) in Argentina, Uruguay, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Ukraine, and more.

Now, with Good Intentions Gone Bad, Cain will find his largest audience yet, as his good musical intentions continue to pay off. According to Kid Andersen, there's no better blues player working today. "Chris Cain is the rarity whose blues prowess is so undeniable that he has gained everyone's approval. Ask any of your favorite guitar players who they think are the greatest living masters of the instrument, chances are they will all have Chris Cain at the very top of their list."

Vincent Neil Emerson has become a staple among folk and country music fans nationwide, celebrated for his honest tales of life on the road, heartbreak, and struggles of all sorts. His first LP, Fried Chicken & Evil Women, from 2019, established him as a refreshing voice in the modern country music landscape. The songs from that first album were charming and playful songs, but didn't reveal the entirety of Emerson's story.

On his brilliant new album, The Golden Crystal Kingdom, Emerson transcends the role of a honky-tonk country singer and becomes a chronicler of his history. The album is a bold continuation of the story he tells on Vincent Neil Emerson, with songs like the title track exploring the feelings he was left with after his days spent playing in Texas honky-tonks and dancehalls, and the track "The Time of The Rambler," inspired by the early days of living in his car and busking on the streets.

He was born and partly raised in East Texas, around his Choctaw-Apache family, and spent most of his life moving around the state. Raised by a single mother, he lost his father to suicide when he was nine. Emerson dealt with those feelings of abandonment and loss on his self-titled album, with the track "Learning to Drown" in particular.

His grandmother and grandfather brought the family to Texas when Emerson's mother was a child, leaving their ancestral Choctaw-Apache homelands in Louisiana behind to try and build a better life for themselves and their children. Emerson always identified with his Native American roots, but it wasn't until 2021's self-titled album that he examined and tried to shed light on the devastating history of his tribe with the song "Ballad of the Choctaw Apache."

Sonically, The Golden Crystal Kingdom finds Emerson expanding his scope into rock and roll territory, tapping into the storied sounds of folk music gone electric, and following in the footsteps of artists like Bob Dylan and Neil Young. On the album, Emerson retains his diamond-sharp storytelling while imbuing the work with a freewheeling rock and roll aesthetic, creating an album as fun as his live shows and as cathartic as his previous work.

With production from Shooter Jennings, Emerson wanted to establish some sounds as touchstones but emphasized following his own intuition for the aesthetics of his record. "I didn't really want to model this record after anybody else's music, but I've been heavily influenced by a lot of old rock and roll music from the sixties and seventies singer-songwriter music," Emerson explains.

The album wasn't necessarily created as an opposing force to the country and folk sounds his fans have come to expect, but he did want to make a record that showcased another side of himself as a writer. He also leaned on friends and collaborators like Jennings, Steve Earle, and Rodney Crowell to help him flesh out this album.

Emerson has been able to call these one-time heroes friends and mentors, and it is these relationships that have helped the songwriter find his confidence in writing about his personal history and standing up for the causes he believes in. Emerson wrote "Man From Uvalde" after the horrific and tragic mass shooting in the city of Uvalde, Texas, and he was initially hesitant to include the track on The Golden Crystal Kingdom. "It's a daunting thing to try to dive into social issues in songwriting because I wasn't sure how people would really take it," Emerson says. "I recorded a rough demo version of the song, and I sent it to Steve [Earle]. I just wanted to get his thoughts on it and see if it was worth anything. He got back to me, and he said he really liked the song and thought it was great. He gave me a few ideas and ways to look at the subject differently, and it really helped me finish the song. That encouragement gave me the confidence to include it on the album."

The Golden Crystal Kingdom also pays tribute to some of the peers Emerson cut his teeth with in the music scene. He covers the Charley Crockett song, "Time of the Cottonwood Trees," and is quick to pay tribute to his labelmate and dear friend Colter Wall. "Those two had my back since day one. They've been some of my biggest supporters, and they've always inspired me to write better songs and encouraged me to pursue this," Emerson reflects. "Especially at a time when I was starting out and I didn't really have a lot of encouragement or even self-confidence to do this, they were always there for me."

As a kid who grew up in a trailer with a single mother, went through bouts of homelessness as a young man, and grinded through countless shows to get where he's at, Vincent Neil Emerson is never quick to praise his own work ethic. He always refers to the friends, family members, and collaborators who have shown their faith in his vision.

But humility doesn't mean Emerson isn't one of the hardest working, most talented songwriters to emerge from the alt-country underground in years. His style is one of a kind, and his ability to blend tales of the everyman with tributes to his past, present, and future make him a peerless songwriter. On The Golden Crystal Kingdom, Vincent Neil Emerson carries on the torch of his singer-songwriter forebears while infusing the legacy with his unique and thrilling point of view.

Whenever Oliver Wood isn't touring with The Wood Brothers -- the Grammy-nominated roots trio that he co-founded in 2006 -- he typically begins his mornings the same way: in Nashville, at home, with a coffee cup in his hand and a notebook in his lap.

"There's a chair in my living room, right in front of a window," he says. "Every morning, I go down there to drink my coffee, meditate, and write. It's like a therapy session for me, because I can write without any specific goal in mind. I can be creative without being self-judgmental."

Many of the songs from Fat Cat Silhouette, Wood's second solo record, began taking shape in that chair. Produced by his Wood Brothers' bandmate Jano Rix, it's an album of unexpected twists and turns. Longtime fans will recognize the earnest, elastic voice that has always anchored the Wood Brothers' mix of forward-looking folk and southern country-funk, but Fat Cat Silhouette doesn't spend much time looking backward. Instead, it abandons convention, breaks a few rules, and positions Oliver Wood as a roots-music innovator who's every bit as interested in the process as the product.

"I wanted to get outside my box and embrace the uncertainty of what's out there," he explains. "I wanted weird guitar tones. The song 'Yo I Surrender' has the worst guitar sound I've ever heard in my life, and I just love it. I wanted more percussion and less drums. Once we began experimenting and doing whatever we wanted, the pressure melted away and I felt liberated."

On the album's opener, "Light and Sweet," Wood matches an imaginative storyline with a melody that leaps from ground level into the stratosphere. Eight songs later, he brings things to a close with "Fortune Drives the Bus," which he recorded on an iPhone in his own backyard. While tracking the rest of Fat Cat Silhouette to analog tape, Wood pushed himself to keep things weird. This is an album that finds the art in the unexpected, and Oliver Wood -- whose songwriting and vocal chops remain as sharp as ever -- at his most adventurous.

Among the most prolific artists on the Americana scene today, Seth Walker is a multi-dimensional talent who combines a gift for melody and lyric alongside a rich, Gospel-drenched, Southern-inflected voice with a true blue knack for getting around on the guitar. With his 12th studio album Why The Worry, Walker further builds upon this reputation.

Set straight by the title's mantra, Why The Worry finds the veteran singer-songwriter letting go of the worry about perception, the worry of over-preparation, and the worry that seeps in constantly from the news and noise of everyday life. Taking a page from Willie Nelson, Walker embraced the country music legend's sage wisdom, "I've never seen worry accomplish anything, so I decided not to do it." Indeed, the album was just about finished when Hurricane Helene hit Walker where he lives in the mountains around Asheville, and as a result, the record almost didn't see light. As catastrophe took shape, the album's importance wavered in his mind until the central theme came back into view. The worry wouldn't undo any damage, and there was still service in song.

Growing up on a commune in rural North Carolina, the son of classically trained musicians, Walker played cello long before discovering the guitar in his 20s. When his introduction to the blues came via his Uncle Landon Walker, who was both a musician and disc jockey, his fate was forever sealed. Instantaneously, Seth was looking to artists like T-Bone Walker, Snooks Eaglin, and B.B. King as a wellspring of endless inspiration. The rest is history. He's released twelve albums, broken into the Top 20 of the Americana Radio Charts, reached No. 2 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart and received praise from NPR, American Songwriter, No Depression and Relix, among others.

Alongside his extensive songwriting and recording pursuits, Walker is consistently touring and performing at venues and festivals around the world. Along with headline shows, he's been invited to open for The Mavericks, Marc Broussard, The Wood Brothers, Raul Malo, Paul Thorn and Ruthie Foster, among others.

Prior to relocating to Asheville in 2020, Walker did stints residing in Austin, New Orleans and Nashville. He's used those experiences wisely, soaking up the sounds and absorbing the musical lineage of these varied places. With a bluesman's respect for roots and tradition, coupled with an appreciation for--and successful melding of--contemporary songwriting, Walker sublimely incorporates a range of styles with warmth and grace. Perhaps Country Standard Time said it best: "If you subscribe to the Big Tent theory of Americana, then Seth Walker--with his blend of blues, gospel, pop, R&B, rock, and a dash country--just might be your poster boy."

Formed in 1995, Save Ferris remains one of the seminal and most beloved bands from the third wave of ska. The group's Orange County home was fertile ground for a thriving music scene, with punk, rock, and ska emerging from the region. Save Ferris blended the best elements of these sounds to help bring the region's sound to the world.

The group's humble beginnings saw them play house parties and local venues, powered by Monique Powell's high-octane vocals. Save Ferris' live show instantly became a hit. As the word spread, the band got a much-needed boost. Legendary KROQ DJ Rodney Bingenheimer got a hold of the band's self-released album. He played their cover of Dexys Midnight Runners "Come on Eileen" on his Rodney on the ROQ show and the response was overwhelming. Soon thereafter, Kevin Weatherly picked up the song and it was added to the legendary taste-making rock station's rotation. All of this happened independently without a record label and with Powell serving as the singer and band manager.

Major labels started noticing the buzz that was emanating from Orange County. In 1996, the band won a Grammy showcase award for best unsigned band, and with Epic Records' David Massey as one of the judges, Save Ferris would sign with the label. Epic re-released the Introducing Save Ferris EP and, in 1997, Save Ferris unleashed their debut album, It Means Everything. Save Ferris toured the world for the better part of the next six years, with 1999's Modified released during that time.

In 2003, the band went on a hiatus. Starting in 2004, Powell switched gears and used her vocal talents to become a go-to studio musician. She appeared on albums for The Used, Goldfinger, Foxy Shazam, Lost Prophets, Mest, and Hilary Duff, among many others. Slowly, however, Powell started having health issues. In 2015, after years of painful back issues, she underwent a risky procedure to fix her broken neck that could have damaged her greatest musical weapon: her vocal cords. Ahead of the procedure, Powell made a promise to her father, who had been begging her to return to the stage: if the surgery was successful, she'd bring back Save Ferris. And it was a success.

That year, Powell, with a new cast of characters, reformed Save Ferris. The hype surrounding the band was massive. After months of rehabilitation, Powell brought Save Ferris home to Orange County where it played a sold-out show at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa. Another giant show at the Santa Monica Pier, with over 20,000 people in attendance, was put out on vinyl. These raucous shows proved that the band wasn't just back, but ready to roar. Through a crowdfunded campaign in 2016, Powell and her bandmates went into the studio to record a new EP. Titled Checkered Past, the collection was released the following year, and produced by John Avila of Oingo Boingo. The EP featured an appearance by Neville Staple of The Specials, one of Powell's favorite artists.

Following Checkered Past's release, Save Ferris played the entire 2017 Warped Tour on the main stage, headlined shows, and played festivals across the world.

The future is as bright as it has been for Save Ferris in a long time. Powell scrapped a record she wrote prior to the pandemic and is currently at work on the first new Save Ferris album in nearly two decades. The band recently packed the House of Blues in Anaheim, playing in front of fans of all ages. Powell is the centerpiece of the action. Her dazzling on- stage presence continues to wow audiences and the band's energy is infectious. Save Ferris are out to prove that they're no nostalgia act, with their best days still ahead of them.

L.A. Witch have always exuded an aura of effortless cool, whether it manifested as the Americana noir and laconic back-to-basics rock n' roll of their self-titled debut or the blistering austere adventurism of their sophomore album Play With Fire. The band--comprised of Sade Sanchez (guitar/vocals), Irita Pai (bass), and Ellie English (drums)--began as an informal affair, but the sultry and beguiling reverb-draped songs they created caught on with the public, moving the project beyond the insular space of the band's friends and peers in Southern California into the broader world. On their latest album, DOGGOD, the trio push their craft beyond their previous creative and geographical confines, opting to craft the material in Paris, recording the tracks at Motorbass Studio on the Rue de Martyrs. DOGGOD explores broader swaths of sonic terrain, employs a greater arsenal of tones, and probes larger existential and cosmic themes, all while retaining the band's signature sense of the forbidden, the forsaken, and the foreboding.

DOGGOD is a way of tackling the universal riddle tangled in the spiritual nature of love and devotion. "I feel like I'm some sort of servant or slave to love," says Sanchez. "There's a willingness to die for love in the process of serving it or suffering for it or in search of it... just in the way a loyal, devoted servant dog would." The album title is a palindrome fusing together DOG and GOD--an exaltation of the submissive and a subversion of the divine. It's a nod to the purity of dogs and an acknowledgement of their unconditional love and protective nature that's at odds with the various pejoratives associated with the species. "There is this symbolic connection between women and dogs that expresses women's subordinate position in society," Sanchez explains. "And anything that embodies such divine characteristics never deserved to be a word used as an insult."

These conflicted explorations of love and subservience manifest themselves in L.A. Witch's fusion of their trademark smooth and smoky garage alchemy with a newfound utilization of post-punk's disciplined reserve and icy instrumentation. Album opener "Icicle" captures the band journeying out of the proto-punk, psychedelia, and gritty riffage of the '70s into the chorus-drenched guitars and forlorn minimalism of Joy Division and early The Cure. A parallel is drawn between romantic suicide and martyrdom that carries over into the second song, "Kiss Me Deep." Here Sanchez describes a love so pure that it transcends time and carries over into multiple lifetimes. It's a song about passion delivered in the worldly and wounded stoicism of early goth pioneers. From there, the band segues into the lead single "777," a song about devotion to the point of death. A propulsive beat, a driving distorted riff, and Sanchez's ethereal vocals come together to create a song that's both dire in its fatalism and sensual in its faithful passion.

Across the entirety of DOGGOD, L.A. Witch never strays from their muse. On "I Hunt You Pray," Pai lays down a hypnotic bass throb while English employs a cyclical krautrock groove and Sanchez paints a picture of an abandoned dog on the roadside, alone in the night, living as both the hunter and the hunted. On "Eyes of Love," the band harnesses the meditative mid-tempo repetition, deconstructed chords, and esoteric ruminations on love, death, and spirituality that made Lungfish such a beloved entity. It reinforces the parallel between the unwavering love seen in the eyes of a dog and the self-sacrifice of a savior. On "The Lines," the band takes the propulsive pulse of post-punk and adds an extra dose of chorus to the mix. "Chorus is a modern effect that comes from the idea of replicating the slight pitch discrepancies of a choir. There is a shimmering quality which ties us back into this spiritual godly feel," Sanchez explains. Coupled with the addition of organ and applied to a brooding minor-key melody, the song simultaneously conjures both the holy and the sacrilegious. The title track "DOGGOD" bears perhaps the strongest resemblance to the material found on the previous album Play With Fire, pitting lean and mean guitars against a scrappy rhythm section and dreamy vocals. But whereas their previous album was a rallying cry to carving one's own path, "DOGGOD" adheres to the album's "til death do us part" theme, going so far as to describe a level of submission that crosses over into dangerous and unhealthy places, with Sanchez singing "hang me on a leash / 'til I wait for my release."

Ultimately, DOGGOD is a perfect encapsulation of L.A. Witch's approach. It's simultaneously romantic and menacing, reverent and profane, a celebration and a lament. It finds the thread between the past and present, taking familiar sounds and revamping them for the modern age. But it also heralds a new era for the band, looking beyond the Kodachrome memories of midcentury America and digging deeper into the medieval and gothic energies of Paris and beyond, all while probing inward at a sullied heart.

DAIISTAR is an Alt-Indie band formed in Austin, Texas in the spring of 2020. The band takes their inspiration from the neo-psychedelic era of the 80s and 90s (The Jesus and Mary Chain, Spacemen 3, Primal Scream) and pulls it into the future with modulating synthesizers, heavy guitars, bouncing bass lines, and spiraling hooks, creating a narcotic blend of noise and melody. DAIISTAR recorded their first studio album produced by Alex Maas of The Black Angels and engineered by James Petralli of White Denim in the summer of 2021. The band signed to UK based label Fuzz Club Records with their debut album GOOD TIME released on September 8th 2023. The album is available on vinyl including a Levitation Exclusive Edition pressing, as well as CD and digital. DAIISTAR has performed at SXSW, Levitation Austin, Levitation France, Barcelona Psych Fest, KEXP, KUTX and has toured with The Black Angels, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and The Dandy Warhols. In May 2024 DAIISTAR released a 7" Limited Pressing of their single "Clear" Backed by Spacemen 3 co-founder Peter Kember aka SONIC BOOM's remix of the 'Good Time' album track "Velvet Reality" on the B-side.

When it came time for fifth full-length 'Many Times,' Matt Hegarty needed to try something different. The Aldershot songwriter, better known as Matthew and The Atlas, was keen to follow up 2023's 'This Place We Live' quickly, jumping straight back into the studio at the end of that same year. Tapping up Bear's Den member and producer Kev Jones for the challenge, they approached 'Many Times' with a production style antithetical to its title: each song was to be recorded in as few takes as possible, stripped-back and direct-to-tape, with no overdubs.

This process, the pair explain, was intended to capture Matt's songwriting in its purest form. Recorded over just two days at the iconic Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, Wales, "the idea was just to capture a moment in time that is very, very honest and open," Jones says. Inspired in part by Nick Drake's 'Pink Moon' (which was itself captured over just two nights).

"We said to ourselves that I shouldn't rehearse too much," says Matt. "It's a balancing act -- you have to write the songs, and know the melody and the lyrics, and how you're going to perform it. But only up to a point -- you're still trying to capture something a bit truer to its original form; something you haven't over-rehearsed or refined down."

It's an approach that was taken to avoid the slow gestation process and over-thinking that Matt openly admits led to the four-year gap between his previous two albums. "I definitely tend to disappear into my studio space," he says of previous records, "There's definitely been a lot of overthinking in my home studio, and working on things, and taking a lot longer than I thought."

For 'Many Times,' then, it was a total about-face in terms of approach. "I really wanted to do the complete opposite of that," Matt explains, "and not think about instrumentation -- just think about songwriting."

Capturing those songs in their rawest form led to some of 'Many Times'' most stunning moments coming from the most unlikely of places. From the engineer running around the studio mid-take, to re-position microphones while Matt was still 'in the zone,' to rhythmic thigh slaps from Kev during the recording of 'Standing Here' adding one of the record's only embellishments -- and taking the track to a new dimension in the process -- it's a record that thrives on its simplicity. "It's because the elements are so simple, the minutiae is massive," says Matt.

"There was always an element of uncertainty about it, which I think was a good thing," he continues of the recording process. Recording to tape -- an expensive method in an increasingly digital age -- "gave it an element of pressure," he admits. But despite the pressure Matt might have felt, 'Many Times' feels like Matthew and The Atlas' most effortless release in a decade.

"You've got nowhere to hide, the songs have to speak for themselves," says Kev of the approach, and it's something Matt agrees with. The result is a record which houses some of Matthew and The Atlas' most brilliant songs to date.

After 15 years and 4 albums of consistent artistic evolution Foreign Fields are taking some time to slow down, breathe and review. With "Small Sessions Vol. 1" they re-approach some of their most loved songs with the clarity of age and hindsight. "Small Sessions Vol. 1" was recorded and produced in Eric's living room in Viroqua, Wisconsin with only two acoustic guitars, a piano, a melodica and an OP-1. This is Foreign Fields presenting their songs in the most stripped down, intimate way that they can.

Following 80 successful dates across North America between 2022 and 2024, legendary drummer Terry Chambers and his band EXTC are returning to the United States and Canada for two extended North American tours: a 10-week run in April/May/June on the East Coast and an 8-week run in September/October 2024 on the West Coast

For almost four decades XTC fans could only dream of witnessing the sensational XTC classic songbook played live. That dream has now become a reality. XTC's legendary drummer Terry Chambers is back on the road with his band EXTC (named and approved by XTC frontman, Andy Partridge).

Emerging out of the post-punk and new-wave explosion of the late 70s XTC experienced global success touring with the likes of The Police and Talking Heads. The band put their hometown of Swindon UK on the map. They achieved huge success in North America and Japan. Sadly their legions of loyal fans would be left in limbo when in 1982 XTC stopped touring becoming a studio-based entity.Fast forward to 2017 Terry returned to the UK from Australia and reconnected with XTC bandmate Colin Moulding. The two would go on to collaborate on new venture TC&I releasing an EP and live album.

Sadly the project was short-lived with TC&I disbanding in early 2019. By now the flame inside Terry had been reignited. His time with TC&I made him realise he wanted to continue doing what he does best. His love and passion for playing music and performing live gave him the idea for his new project EXTC.

Born in early 2019 EXTC would set out to achieve its goals of performing to audiences who had waited so long to hear the EXTC back catalogue performed live only to be bought to a standstill in 2020 due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.Terry was keen to get on the road with EXTC with a tour of the United States scheduled for autumn 2020. Unfortunately this would be postponed due to covid restrictions still in place the tour being rescheduled for the following year.

The band eventually began gigging again in 2021 with sold-out dates around the UK. This would include the Isle of Wight Festival and gigs in Terry Chambers and XTC's hometown of Swindon. The band would go on to do further successful tours of the United States and Canada with EXTC also heading to Japan in early 2023.EXTC has kept much of the original fan base from XTC's glory days of the late 70s and early 80s as well as gaining a new following of fans in their own right. Enthusiastic fans have lapped up the chance to see Terry and EXTC perform all those classics live once more.Alongside Terry the EXTC line-up features frontman Steve Hampton (lead vocals & guitar - Joe Jackson, The Vapors and Dead Crow Road) and Terry Lines (bass & vocals - The Rams and Dead Crow Road).

Originally a four-piece EXTC band members have changed frequently over recent years. EXTC announced in November 2022 that they are now moving forward as a three-piece. Terry Steve and Terry will bring you the full EXTC experience with their mesmerising and engaging live performances as you relive the heyday of XTC. With new material already in the works EXTC is a band on an upward trajectory. With their popularity gaining momentum and international tour schedules increasing it is clear the sky is the limit for Terry Chambers and EXTC!

A brand new live album will be released by a US-based record label on Friday, April 4, 2025. Full release information will be announced in the first week of December this year.

In his 50-plus years of playing the instrument, Carl has created a wildly successful, multi-faceted career. He is a critically acclaimed musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and educator with 17 CDs and 2 live DVDs released worldwide. Carl i commonly regarded as a guitar virtuoso capable of playing any style of music with remarkable mastery and conviction. He has been one of LA's elite "first call" session players for the past 40 years, playing on hundreds of records, movie soundtracks and television shows.

A member of the huge British rock group Supertramp since 1985, Carl has played to millions of enthusiastic fans in sold out arenas worldwide. As the creative force behind the Carl Verheyen Band, he has released an impressive and eclectic discography that showcases his endless talents across a wide array of musical genres. The CVB tours all over the world and continues to draw fans on the festival circuit as well as theaters and clubs. Carl also performs with drummer Stewart Copeland in his "Police Derranged for Orchestra" concerts with symphony orchestras all over North America.

A much sought after studio musician, Carl plays on other artists' CDs whenever his busy schedule permits. He has recorded and played with a virtual who's who of the music industry. His vast collection of movie soundtrack and television credits is enviable. Carl was heard by 67,000,000 people as a featured soloist at the 2009 Academy Awards. He is also heavily featured in the film documentary about the electric guitar, Turn It Up! Verheyen has graced the pages of countless industry publications and been the subject of numerous articles chronicling his rise to the forefront of the modern-day gui- tar scene. Carl has won many polls and musical honors in the US, Germany, France, Italy and the UK and received a Grammy nomination as a featured soloist.

On the educational front, Carl has produced two instructional videos called Intervallic Rock Guitar and Forward Motion as well as eight on-line master classes for Truefire. He also has a book/CD detailing his unique "intervallic" style called Improvising without Scales. Another book entitled Studio City is a compilation of all the columns Carl wrote for Guitar Magazine between 1996 and 1999, and his recently released Songbook is a detailed look into his unique and guitar-centered writing style. He has written a monthly column for Chitarre, Italy's #1 guitar publication as well as Guitar and Bass Magazine in both Germany and France and Guitar Techniques in the UK. He wrote monthly columns four years in a row for Guitar Player Magazine and occasionally contributes to other guitar publications like Vintage Guitar and Guitar World. Carl has taught private guitar lessons to John Fogerty, members of System of a Down and Maroon 5 and conducted master classes all over the world.

Working closely with the guitar company LsL, Carl has a pair of signature electric guitars that are hand made in the USA. The CV Special and CV Studio models are patterned after Carl's vintage Fender Stratocasters. Road worthy and affordable, they are a part of Carl's touring and recording arsenal and sold all over the world. And pairing with DR Strings he's developed a line of signature strings that perfectly balance the tremolo bridge of his LsL signature guitars as well as the Fender Stratocaster.

Formed in Adelaide South Australia in 2014 the band first made waves across Australia and New Zealand being nominated in every category of the 2018 Australian Blues Music Awards on the back of their 2nd album Tales of A Rich Girl, and ultimately picked up 3 gongs. Tales was tracked in LA by 7 x Grammy winner Jim Scott and mixed in Nashville by 4 X Grammy winner Vance Powell. It received some incredible reviews and had a stellar run on the charts hitting no.1 on the Australian Blues Music Charts, and no.15 on the International Roots Review. Huff Post's Randy Radic called the album ".....a humdinger", and Peter Salzony from Blues Blast Mag wrote "You are left emotionally drained after this soulful experience has concluded.......expert musicianship and top notch production propel this effort into greatness. Hearing is believing!"

Between 2017 and 2019 in support of Tales of a Rich Girl the band toured extensively throughout Australia and New Zealand appearing at many of the major festivals in those 2 countries including Womadelaide, Wangaratta, Broadbeach, Mitchell Creek, Bay of Islands (NZ), Mordialloc, Bruthen, Blenheim, Eltham to name a few. However, the announcement that they had signed to Big Wing Records and were heading to the USA for their first full tour was the most exciting news. The US tour took in 7 states and 22 performances kicking off at Summerfest in Milwaukee and finishing at Mammoth Lakes Bluespalooza in California where they featured on the main stage with the likes of Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty and Charlie Mustlewhite. Other dates included 210 Live, Rosemont and Rockford Illinois, Mishawaka and Gas City Indiana, Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville Tennessee, Little Rock Arkansas, Dallas Texas, and LA and Morro Bay California, with the highlight a live performance on WGN-TV in Chicago reaching a potential 60mil homes through the US! The summer tour rounded out with a return trip at the start of September where the band played a headline set at Grapefest in Dallas TX.

Most recent news, Kings and Associates are in the final stages of tracking their 3rd studio album titled 'Neighbour' with a planned release date set for 25th April 2020. While in the US the opportunity was taken to hook up with Jim Scott for a reunion of sort to record a bunch of new songs. Speaking to song writer and bassist Steve Portolesi this was by all reports and amazing session. "Firstly, getting to work with Jim again back in LA was always a priority and desire for us based on how much fun we had tracking Tales. Jim is both a rock music legend and an absolutely amazing man, we simply love the relationship we've built and thrive in the encouraging, creative atmosphere which oozes from his studio." Unlike Tales where all the songs were pre-arranged the new songs took a slightly different path Steve adds, "with the last album we had 12 tunes which we'd pretty much been playing for the previous 12 months, so it was just a case of going into the studio and recording them. This time round we were a little bit greener with the songs being pretty new, but we were fortunate to have our entire band in the studio tacking simultaneously including our US organist Louie Higuera and Paul White from Australia, so there was some serious spontaneity in the way we played....most of the stuff is live".

Lyricist and lead vocalist Angie explains from a lyrical perspective the new album retains themes of social observation, personal experience and enthusiasm for life, "I've always felt most at ease writing from my experiences and learnings as it helps me keep my themes fresh and current. It's also what impacts me the most so these become the topics most accessible in my creative process....I guess that's how creativity works". Thematically the album has been written specifically for vinyl, "music has obviously changed in the way people interact with artists, so we wanted to go back to something a bit more classic and move away from what's become the standard 12 or 13 track CD type release. Our drummer Kelv had the idea to have the songs create a bit of a theme and momentum on each side of the vinyl more in line with the way music was enjoyed back in the day. It's certainly not a new concept, but for us it seemed like a cool thing to do, and definitely represents where we're at currently". Neighbour from all reports is going to be another sidestep from traditional blues but certainly not a move away entirely from what their fans love. Word is it's eclectic and soulfully exploring new grounds, and the excitement from those who have heard it is compelling!

Black Joe Lewis is the realest motherfucker there is. When Covid sidelined his touring this past year, he started laying concrete to help support his baby mama and his kid. That's fuckin' real. When Joe and his band, the Honeybears, popped onto the national stage over a decade ago, many critics embraced him but still, there were some that maintained that they hadn't paid their dues. Joe's still here. Still going. Still cashing checks and snapping necks. The dues of hard work; the delirious heights of the industry as well as the disappointments and low hanging fruit. Through this all, Joe's only honed his mastery over gut bucket blues guitar and his true voice. It's a vital and distinctly American voice that never anticipated the attention he wound up receiving, never went looking for it either. It just started happening. The garage, the blues, the propulsive and synergistic live performances that inhabit the spaces of James Brown, Lightnin' Hopkins, and the MC5...those things happened naturally from the very beginning and could only be accurately communicated in the live experience, not a press release or a slick brand campaign. Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, Cedric Burnside and Lightnin Malcolm, The Dirtbombs, Detroit Cobras, the Strange Boys; these are some of the artists that Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears shared countless bills with; almost a roll call of the most influential soul and garage bands of the last twenty five years. Has the soul blues garage explosion from that era been commodified or worked into the overall template of pop rock? Sure. But the ground floor was a vital space for people that like guitars and grease and at this point Black Joe Lewis is one of the last standing that was there. Last of a dying breed. Or maybe a missing link. Does this make him a throwback? A throwback to a throwback? It'd be tempting and easy for Joe to go along with that but nah, we don't think so. We know that Joe Lewis is genuinely doing his thing and that he'd do it regardless of what's coming down the pipe. A stone cold original and a veteran at that. If you like whistling in your music and some floppy hat, quaky kneed dudes cloyingly singing at you, then you might not "get it" but whatever...there are enough intrepid, degenerate weirdos that do. Those are the folks Joe cares about. Not the glad handing set. Not the fair-weather friend set getting down with the flavor of the month. Like the title of his last album says, "the difference between me and you" is Joe defining for himself that there's the belabored wannabes and then there's dudes that actually "HAVE the blues"...whatever the hell THAT is! Joe's concrete pouring boss is gonna miss him.

Eric Johanson is not your typical rock or blues artist. His music strikes a compelling balance between gritty rock intensity and deep blues emotion, delivering a sound that feels both raw and refreshingly original. Johanson's skillful guitar playing and distinctive voice form a captivating blend that is drawing increasing attention from audiences and critics alike.

His newest album, The Deep And The Dirty (2023), continues to make waves, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. Since its release, Johanson has been on a whirlwind tour, hitting stages across the US and Europe in over ten countries. The buzz around him is real--he was named one of Guitar Player magazine's 25 best new blues guitarists and earned a spot in Total Guitar magazine's Top 50 blues guitarists of all time. Industry veterans have also taken notice, with Bob Lefsetz remarking, "It's like he digested all the music of the sixties - just like those musicians listened to the progenitors - and kept the flame a-burnin'. This guy has a place in the firmament."

Born and raised in Louisiana, Johanson's roots run deep in the blues and rock traditions. His early years were spent performing at local venues and leading underground rock bands. After experimenting with his style, and a stint living overseas, Johanson returned to New Orleans and quickly became a sought after guitarist, blending his southern roots with a forward-thinking approach.

It wasn't long before his unique style caught the eye of blues luminary Tab Benoit. Benoit signed Johanson to his new Whiskey Bayou record label, producing Johanson's debut solo record, Burn It Down (2017). The album established Johanson as a skilled guitarist with a deep connection to blues traditions, yet also someone unafraid to push boundaries. The two embarked on a two-year tour, with Benoit himself playing drums in Johanson's band during his opening sets.

Johanson's sound soon gained the attention of Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), who produced Johanson's sophomore album, Below Sea Level (2020). The album marked a creative leap for Johanson, combining raw, emotional songwriting with heavier guitar tones and darker, more introspective themes.

For his most recent album, The Deep And The Dirty, Johanson teamed up with producer Jesse Dayton, crafting what many critics are calling his strongest work yet. The album's raw, powerful sound and masterful guitar playing are further illuminated by meaningful and catchy songwriting. As American Songwriter put it, "Johanson pens solid material that, like Hendrix, displays his guitar prowess but within the borders of melodies and lyrics that push the boundaries of blues/rock."

Over the past few years, Johanson has toured extensively, both as a headliner and support act for prominent artists such as Samantha Fish, North Mississippi Allstars, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, The Record Company, Walter Trout, and more. His live performances are known for their high energy, powerful vocals, and dynamic guitar solos. There's a sense that Eric is always pushing himself--redefining what it means to be a blues artist in the 21st century.

30 years into a prolific career as a genre and gender-defying songwriter, Melissa Ferrick continues to disrupt normative categorization. Indie, Alternative, Folk, Punk....Melissa Ferrick won't be labeled. With disarming wit and raw vulnerability, every lyric in Ferrick's immense catalog is an invitation to confession or catharsis.

In 2023, Ferrick signed with Kill Rock Stars, a label that has long been emblematic of authentic storytelling and home to indie acts including Sleater-Kinney, Bikini Kill, The Decemberists and Elliott Smith.

"Being on this label is an alignment of who I am musically. KRS serves all of the different approaches to music that exist in me."

To commemorate its 25th anniversary, Ferrick has re-recorded her critically acclaimed album Everything I Need, set to be released October 11th, 2024. "Just me and the guitar using live takes and no overdubs," Ferrick captures the emotional intensity that has become a signature of her live performances. "The power songs have on marking time dumbfounds me. I remember writing each of them, I remember recording them, I remember the first time I heard Everything I Need on the radio, and I remember the first time an audience sang along. This album marked a time in my life when I was freed of so many boundaries - some imparted and some I hadn't been willing to let go." In June, Ferrick released the new single, "Black Dress" and a cover of Tegan and Sara's "Where Does the Good Go," both of which will be included as bonus tracks on the album.

Ferrick's impact reaches far beyond her music. As one of the few openly queer artists in the 1990s, she navigated and challenged the sexism, homophobia, and rigid gender expectations of the music industry. Her trailblazing journey not only paved the way for future generations of artists but also created a space where they could express their identities and be celebrated on their own terms. Most recently, Melissa launched Drive Music Agency (DMA), a booking agency and consulting company designed to help launch new acts in the indie scene. She is also a Professor of Practice at Northeastern University, teaching courses in music business, songwriting, creative entrepreneurship, demo recording and production, and the psychology of creativity. Melissa was an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music from 2013 to 2019 and holds an Ed.M. from Harvard University.

Growing up in Ipswich Massachusetts, Ferrick's passion for music began at an early age. Classically trained in violin and piano, Ferrick's education is also rooted in jazz, playing both trumpet and bass. As a self-taught guitarist, Ferrick began her career playing local venues in Cambridge like The Middle East and T.T. The Bear's, which paved the way for legendary acts like The Indigo Girls, The Pixies, and The Flaming Lips. Ferrick's major breakthrough came in 1991 when she stepped in for Morrissey's opening act just an hour before showtime. Her impressive performance earned her an invitation to tour with Morrissey in the U.S. and UK, leading to a major label deal with Atlantic Records. Her debut album, Massive Blur (1993), introduced her blend of introspective songwriting and genre-crossing sound.

Between 1996 and 1999, Ferrick released three albums with the Colorado-based indie label W.A.R. Records. In 2000, she launched the nationally distributed independent record label Right On Records. Ferrick published two critically acclaimed albums with NY-based label MPress Records between 2011 and 2013. She's released eighteen albums throughout her 30 year career and has won numerous awards for songwriting, production, and performance.

Ferrick has shared the stage with countless acts, some of which include Bob Dylan, Joan Armatrading, Weezer, Tegan and Sara, Mark Cohen, Paul Westerberg, John Hiatt, Ani DiFranco, k.d. Lang, Suzanne Vega, and Shawn Colvin.

As she continues to challenge conventions, Melissa Ferrick continues to reinforce her genre-defying legacy with each new project.

The origin for this tour began at the Zappanale festival in 2023, where Paul Green was making his return after a 6 year break (his 7th appearance overall) with the students of PGRA, headlining Friday (playing Zappa) and Saturday night(with Jon Anderson). The Sunday (and overall) headliners were Banned from Utopia and Paul and his students stood in stunned silence watching a band that was like watching one of the best Zappa bands from the 80s. A friendship was struck up between the groups and plans were soon in motion to tour the US in the summer of 2024.That tour was so successful, and such a good time, that we decided to go out again in 2025, this time with just the alumni so that the students can have their turn playing these amazing songs with them.

We are calling the tour the "We Love Zappa II Tour" because it is all about our shared love of this amazing music, teaching it to a new generation, and bringing it to his fans, who are the best.

The Paul Green Rock Academy(PGRA) is the latest music school from School of Rock founder, and noted Zappa fanatic, Paul Green. An audition only music school for ambitious students aged 12-18, PGRA has spent the last 5 years touring, alternately, as the backing band for Jon Anderson of Yes and Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers. They have also shared the stage with such amazing musicians as Bill Bruford, Steve Hackett, and Phil Manzanera. Paul's former students have gone on to play in/with: The Who, Phony Ppl, The Bobby Lees, Dr Dog, Adrian Belew, Lauren Hill, and Willow Smith, to name a few.

Robert "Bobby" Martinis a highly accomplished American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, known for his work with Frank Zappa and his career as a session musician, composer, and musical director, as well as directing his own music production company.He is a sought-after keyboardist, horn player, and vocalist, having worked with numerous artists, including Bette Midler, Paul McCartney, and Etta James, and has composed music for film, television, and advertising.

Scott Thunes is best known for his long tenure inFrank Zappa's band during the 1980s, playing bass, singing background vocals, and serving as the official "Clonemeister," running rehearsals for the Zappa band. He also recorded and toured with Zappa's sons Dweezil and Ahmet, and his music career has included work with the Waterboys, The Mother Hips, and Fear, among others.

Ray Shirley White Sr.,a soul and rock guitarist best known for his vocals and rhythm guitar in Frank Zappa's touring bands from 1976 to 1984, also formed a vocal harmony partnership with Ike Willison later tours. He is featured on numerous Zappa albums and videos, including "Zappa In New York," "You Are What You Is," "Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch," and "The Torture Never Stops".

Abe Partridge is a heralded musician, singer/songwriter, visual artist, storyteller and documentarian based in Mobile, Alabama. Since the release of his debut album Cotton Fields and Blood for Days in 2018, Partridge has toured relentlessly, including several tours throughout Europe. He is a regular at several great music festivals such as the 30a Songwriters Fest, and the Laurel Cove Music Fest as well as listening rooms across the country including the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Eddies Attic in Atlanta, and Duke's in Indianapolis. Recently, he toured extensively with Matthew Sweet, Drivin' N Cryin', and Dar Williams in support of his latest release Love in the Dark. He has performed on several syndicated NPR radio programs including, Mountain Stage and Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour.

Partridge along with co-producer Ferrill Gibbs created the Alabama Astronaut podcast, where Abe attempts to properly record songs previously undocumented at holiness, serpent-handling churches in Appalachia. It was in the Top Ten documentary podcasts on Apple Podcasts within days of its release and now has over 100k downloads and a 4.9-star rating.

When Partridge is not writing or touring, he is also a highly acclaimed visual artist. His paintings, primarily acrylic on tarred board and watercolors, now hang in art galleries around the southeast and in the private collections of Tyler Childers, Mike Wolfe (American Pickers), Rick Hirsch (Wet Willie), Tommy Stinson (The Replacements) and Tommy Prine. Abe's art is featured yearly at Howard Finster's Paradise Gardens. His artwork was featured in Stephen King's 2019 sequel to The Shining - Dr. Sleep. He painted the cover art for Charlie Parr's, Last Of The Better Days Ahead (Smithsonian Folkways). He also created art for Tyler Childers' 2022 release, Can I Take My Hounds To Heaven? (RCA), as well as promotional posters for the Red Clay Strays' 2024 release Made by These Moments (RCA). Partridge's first major art exhibition With Signs Following was on display at the Alabama Contemporary Art Center in Mobile, AL in 2023. His book "With Signs Following - Portraits + Stories from the Serpent-Handling Faith" released following the exhibit to wide acclaim.

Three members of the Red Clay Strays occasionally join Abe for a punk side-project they share together, The Psych Peas. They have one album, Lackluster, that has only been released on physical formats. The band has created a reputation for giving high-energy, chaotic live performances, and has garnered a cult-like following. John P. Strohm of The Lemonheads compared them to "Scratch Acid and Butthole Surfers in their prime".

Abe also works with the legendary North Carolina songwriter, David Childers and his band The Serpents. Together, they are The Satan, You're a Liars, with an album, Let's Build This House Together, due to release in early 2025.

American Songwriter Magazine said, "Abe Partridge has established himself as one of the most respected songwriters and visual folk artists in the southeast."

In November of 2022, Partridge released the EP Alabama Skies on Baldwin Co. Public Records label which includes "Abe Partridge's 403d Freakout". Partridge told Songfacts the story behind the song: " 'Abe Partridge's 403d Freakout' was a song I wrote in about 20 minutes. It took me two weeks to make it rhyme, and then it took me about six months to learn it. I just sat and wrote a couple of pages of thoughts as they came to me. It was my attempt at describing my thoughts chronologically as they sometimes occur in my head before I filter them. It is those thoughts that I often have if I allow myself to mentally wander."

Partridge's exhibit With Signs Following was on exhibition at the Alabama Contemporary Art Center in Mobile, AL from January 13 - May 20 of 2023 and is expected to travel to other city contemporary art centers in the next few years. His full-length studio album, Love In The Dark, on BCPR label, was released on May 12, 2023.

American Songwriter wrote "Jack Barksdale has insights and awareness far beyond people twice his age, and he's able to put them into songs that touch listeners." NPR.org said "Jack Barksdale is special." and Twangville added, "It's hard to escape the impressive maturity of his musicianship and songwriting."

Jack Barksdale is a 17 year old folk/Americana singer/songwriter from Texas. Inspired by folk, rock, and blues legends, Jack started performing original music at the age of nine and has already shared the stage with Wynonna Judd, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Junior Brown, John Fullbright, and Hayes Carll.

Recently Jack signed a record deal with Truly Handmade Records, formed by the estate of Guy Clark. Jack will release a full length album under Truly Handmade Records in June of 2025 featuring many notable guest artists. In September 2024 Jack released his 2nd EP "Out of Order and in October 2023 Jack launched a 7 song instrumental EP entitled Phantom Trails."

His previous single "Gone" has garnered well over 2.8 million streams on Spotify and was featured on Apple Music's 'Southern Craft' playlist.

In 2020 Jack launched a podcast focused on songwriters and songwriting called Jack Barksdale's Roots Revival Podcast.

Jack tours nationally and wows audiences with lyrics wise beyond his years. Jack plays guitar, slide guitar, harmonica, mandolin, piano, and ukulele, but identifies first and foremost as a songwriter.

His musical influences include Lead Belly, Howlin' Wolf, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, The Carter Family, and Willie Nelson.

Matt Lorenz's vision, manifest in The Suitcase Junket, developed in the tension between the grand and the solitary. Grand in its imagery, sound, and staging. Solitary in its thrift and self-reliance. What instruments he requires, Lorenz builds from scratch and salvage. What parts five players would perform, he performs alone. The spectacle of his one-man set bears constant comparison to legends of showmanship, brilliance, madness, and invention.

While audiences are captivated by his solitary form and the show itself, Lorenz, who homesteads in rural Western Massachusetts, is most serious about the songs. He has been building a catalog, writing a world into existence. Solitary on stage and on the road, his mind is crowded with characters, narratives, voices, imagery, sounds as wide and varied as mountain throat singers and roadhouse juke boxes, plus newsreels of the planet's destruction and salvage. With this 2020 release, The End is New, Lorenz's grand vision for the song overrides the how of it.

"The things I value are under attack," Lorenz writes. "And writing songs and making art are the methods I have for responding. I have tried to use my observations and reflections of the world bent through my fun-house-mirror mind to show what I see; a planet stressed. ... We can do better."

The End is New was produced by trusted friend, producer Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, who produced The Suitcase Junket's acclaimed 2018 release, Mean Dog Trampoline.

"Most of the time making records for a living is both fun and edifying," says Berlin "But every once and a while I get rewarded with a simply superlative experience, and making The End Is New was certainly one of those." He adds, "We had a blast building these ideas into songs, and Matt's endless inventiveness made each workday a genuine pleasure. His talent is a unique gift."

"I told Steve I wanted to make a doom-folk record," says Lorenz. "That's what I'd started calling my music when people asked. He was game. Neither of us knew quite what that meant at the time, but I think we found out with The End is New. There's a heavy mix of hope and desperation in the sound and lyrically I was trying to be a mirror to society using truth, myth, confessions and stories."

In the strangest of ironies, the production of this album, an artist moving from solitude to collaboration, went forward in a time when Lorenz, Berlin, all their studio musicians, and the entire world were in isolation for the lockdown of pandemic.

"We had done some tracking in February and felt that we had a good start," says Lorenz, "but things had gotten a bit strange. Steve Berlin, producer extraordinaire, was stuck at home on the West Coast under a newly imposed lockdown and here in Massachusetts the virus was starting to heat up. The bicoastal, remotely produced recording process was bizarre and frustrating but fruitful. We plugged along, track by track, occasionally commenting on how crazy everything was feeling. Justin, the sound engineer and co-owner of Sonelab, and I had spent time together in the same studio so we figured if one of us had The Virus we probably both did so why not finish the record as safely as we could? So we watched as the world drastically changed around our little musical haven, unsure of what lay ahead. We polished off the record bit by bit in the following months, recording overdubs from home with no more studio time to be had. J Mascis made a ripping appearance on 'Light a Candle' and Steve Berlin slipped off his producer shoes and laid down some horn parts. I'm so very excited to share these new songs. I think the writing on this album is some of the best I've ever done and the production has them sounding huge and cinematic."

The End is New is an artist expanding his possibilities, collaborating, matching his lyrical power over eleven tracks with the epic sounds and narratives of his imagination. "Black Holes and Overdoses" riffs off the unrelenting news cycle, the numbness that wants for oblivion. "And Then There Was Fire" finds Lorenz reflecting on current events, inspired by the destructive wildfire in Australia, which seems like three years ago at this point, but took place right at the end of last year and beginning of this year. "Light a Candle" is the simmering doom of lost love. "Can't Look Away" protests the overuse of a planet. "Jesus! King of the Dinosaurs" is a romp poking fun at extremists and biblical timelines.

Growing up in Cavendish, Vermont, Matt Lorenz began playing piano at age five, and later took up violin, saxophone, and guitar. During his years at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, he studied music and adaptive instrument design, a pursuit that included building a prototype for a drummer who couldn't use their legs, where they'd be able to play the bass drum and hi-hat through a system of pulleys. After college, he headed to Europe on a $150 plane ticket, ran out of money in Barcelona, and spent a year playing music in the streets. "That's where I learned how to sing loud, which got me figuring out what my voice could do," Lorenz notes. Once he'd returned to Amherst, he formed the band Rusty Belle with his sister Kate and, several years later, started The Suitcase Junket with the aid of a guitar he'd found in a dumpster. 'The Suitcase Junket' is a nod to Lorenz's longtime love of collecting old suitcases, including an antique that he's refurbished into a bass drum, and to a secondary definition of junket, i.e. "a pleasure excursion."

The End is New is Lorenz's sixth full-length album as The Suitcase Junket, his first for Renew Records/BMG. The sound has become more refined and deeper with each release. Lorenz tours extensively and plans to be back on the road for a waylaid release tour for The End is New in 2021. Lorenz is also a visual artist. In the early years he designed all The Suitcase Junket album art and merchandise and made the music videos generated with his songs. He continues to create the visuals for merchandise, and to produce some of his videos, now with collaborators. He gets very excited about coffee, gardening, bees, dogs, birds, mushrooms, tinctures, making his own wine and maple sugaring season.

Dan Navarro's long and eclectic resume includes "songwriter," "recording artist," "singer", "voice actor", "producer", "road warrior" and "arts advocate" in its extensive range of credits.

His former acoustic duo, Lowen & Navarro, released 13 albums from 1990-2008, enjoyed widespread Triple A radio airplay and performed 1500 shows before Eric Lowen's retirement in 2008 and passing from ALS in 2012. Dan set out solo in 2006.

In March 2024, he debuted as a co-producer of Jesse Lynn Madera's acclaimed album, "Speed of Sound", including the touching co-written duet "Last Call", now making waves at Americana, Folk and Triple A radio.

Dan's 2022 album, "Horizon Line", reunited Dan with Grammy® winning producer Jim Scott, who helmed six L&N albums. The album features performances from Chris Stills, Steve Postell (David Crosby, The Immediate Family), Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams), Brian Whelan (Dwight Yoakam), Jimmy Paxson (Lindsay Buckingham), Mai Leisz (David Crosby, Jackson Browne), Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing), Taras Prodaniuk & Michael Jerome (The Richard Thompson Trio), Phil Parlapiano (John Prine), Peter Adams, Aubrey Richmond (Shooter Jennings), Carlos Murguia, Leyla Hoyle and Derek Nakamoto. The album twice charted Top Ten at NACC Folk, and reviews have been the finest of Dan's career.

In July 2021, he released a duo album with James Lee Stanley, "All Wood and Led", with acoustic "Laurel Canyon" re-imaginations of Led Zeppelin tunes which saw extensive radio action at Americana stations nationwide.

As a songwriter, Dan has written or co-written heartfelt songs for Pat Benatar (the Grammy® nominated "We Belong"), The Bangles, Japanese girl group Wink (the #1 hit "One Night in Heaven"), Dutch superstar Marco Borsato (the Top Ten "Je Hoeft Niet Naar Huis Vannacht"), Dave Edmunds, The Temptations, Dionne Warwick, and Austin outlaw country legend Rusty Weir.

His songs have appeared in the films Deadpool 2, Pitch Perfect 2 and Talladega Nights, TV series This Is Us, Mare of Easttown, Halt and Catch Fire, American Idol, The Voice, American Dad and The Office and national commercials for Corona Beer, Sargento Cheese, Pepsi, Sheraton Hotels, Chase Bank and the United Way.

As a bilingual singer and voice actor, he sang in Oscar® winners Encanto (including the #1 hit "We Don't Talk About Bruno"), Coco and Happy Feet, the 2022 hit Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, the new Latin-themed Father of the Bride, plus Sing 2, The Addams Family, Dora and the City of Lost Gold, The Lorax, and two Ice Age films; TV series The Simpsons, Prison Break, Close Enough and American Dad; voiced characters in the films Pirates of the Caribbean 5, The Book Of Life, The Playmobil Movie, and TV series Invincible, The Boys: Diabolical, Pantheon, Ultra City Smiths, We Bare Bears, and nearly 500 episodes of Family Guy and American Dad; dubbed English voices on foreign TV series Team Chocolate, Love Is Blind: Brazil, La Ultima, 4Ever and Machos Alfa; sung on albums by Luis Miguel, Andrea Bocelli, Jose Feliciano and Neil Young; voiced video games Red Dead Redemption II, Fallout 4 and Uncharted 4, and performed vocals and voice-overs in literally hundreds of commercials for Toyota, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Honda and more.

During the 2020 Covid pandemic lockdown, Dan launched his "Songs From the CoronaZone" live stream series, running almost daily for much of the run of over 250 2-hour+ live streams in 13 months, on Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Twitch and the now-defunct Periscope. He then taught live stream techniques in workshops for SAG-AFTRA and Folk Alliance's "FAR-West" region (earning FAR-West's 2021 Humanitarian Award in the process), as well as online songwriting classes dubbed "Songwriting and the Creative Muse".

In his "spare" time, Dan serves on the Board of SAG-AFTRA, the AFL-CIO actor-performer-broadcaster's union; is a Trustee on the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Fund; serves on the Unclaimed Royalties committee of the Mechanical Licensing Collective and is a past president of Folk Alliance International. He has been a vocal activist in Washington DC for intellectual property rights for over 20 years, having testified in 2023 before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on IP and the US Patent and Trademark Office on AI and copyright, as well as the US Senate Judiciary Committee and the Copyright Royalty Board.

Dan Navarro's music probes life at its most resonant. In his rich baritone, he sings songs of heart and insight, steeped in experience, soulful tales from a long road well-traveled.

He's the proud father of a 27-year old filmmaker son, thinks art is food, music is love, and sleep is for babies.

How to honor the legacy of a band deemed sacred? To tread on holy ground is perilous, and must be done with the intent and spirit of a disciple--Pay attention to the intricacies of the magic, explore the far ends of the innovation, strive for ever-growing ability, and let the purity of the love for the music drive it all.

Drummer Clementine is the founding member of ZEPPARELLA. From the beginning of her musical career, her goal has been to be onstage every night. The pursuit of that goal has led Clementine to constantly tour the US and Europe in projects as diverse as Bottom, AC/DShe, The House Of More, The Solid, Francis Bakin, Stars Turn Me On and Beaux Cheveux. She tackles the best rock drumming ever written with her own emotionally powerful style, bringing the Motown influence of the Bonham groove to the forefront. The profound musical connection established with Gretchen Menn (guitar), Holly West (bass), and Anna Kristina (vocals) creates the bond required to do this great music justice.

It was under the tutelage of classical guitarist Phillip DeFremery, a student of Andrés Segovia, that guitarist Gretchen Menn began her path on the instrument. Playing with tireless passion and constantly seeking out new challenges, her projects are often unconventional, genre-bending expressions combining elements of classical, rock, progressive, jazz, and metal. On influences, Gretchen has never tired of her initial inspirations--Eric Johnson, Steve Morse, Frank Zappa, and Jeff Beck. But she has loved Jimmy Page's guitar playing longer than she has played the guitar. It was through the music of Led Zeppelin that she found a gateway into music that resonated deeply with her, creating a love for guitar-oriented music, and, ultimately, the guitar.

Bassist Holly West began her musical journey full-steam ahead, and more recently than her stellar playing belies. Her unstoppable will and drive have truly propelled her to this moment and her place in the powerhouse Zepparella. A self-taught bass player, she is also a blossoming vocalist with rich rock pipes. Her time on stage has been well spent, developing an impressive attack, impeccable feel, and a technique which seems to have come completely naturally to her, not to mention her dazzling stage presence and joyful performance style. Her influences span the rock gauntlet, from Clutch and the Rival Sons to Slash, ZZ Top, and of course, the mighty Zeppelin.

Singer Anna Kristina is a soulful, fiery, and rocking vocal powerhouse who has stepped into Zepparella's Plant spot for a second time. Anna was with the band for 5 years, became known for her performance in the band's 15 million-view "When The Levee Breaks" video, took a 6-year hiatus, and now returns in 2018 to front the band. Her career has spanned acoustic, jazz, soul, rock, and her charisma and power delivers captivating performances every night. About her brilliant harp playing she says: "getting a chance to blow on the harmonica is an added bonus! Plant isn't just a singer he's a musician. He brings his blues background and natural percussive feel to his harmonica playing as well and I love getting lost in that. Playing the harp allows me to express on a whole different level and it's so freeing."

Now more than ever, Zepparella explores their own improvised magic within the framework of Zeppelin's mighty songs!

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